Characters: The Three Musketeers

Characters: The Three Musketeers

Louis XIII, king of France: Husband to Queen Anne, Louis is a jealous husband. Spurred on by Cardinal Richelieu, he suspects his queen of carrying on amorous, rather than political, intrigues.

The duke of Buckingham: Former English ambassador to the court of France, he has fallen hopelessly in love with Queen Anne. He dreams of one day leading an army to France and conquering not only the country but Anne’s heart. He would give anything, even his life, to save her honor.

Cardinal Richelieu: The cardinal is devoted to saving France from her enemies and will sacrifice anyone who gets in his way. To him, the end justifies any and all means. His guards are rivals of the king’s musketeers and are forever trying to usurp their authority.

Rochefort: The “man with a scar on his face,” Rochefort is the cardinal’s chief agent. He sets up traps for unsuspecting citizens and assists Milady with all her schemes.

Captain de Tréville: As commander of the king’s Musketeers, Captain Tréville has a hard time keeping them in order. He would obviously prefer to be a soldier than an administrator, having a fighting spirit equal to any of his men.

Athos: One of the group of three musketeers all of whom are quick to fight, quick to love, and quick to fight for the honor of France and its ladies, Athos is the leader of the group, both in intelligence and swordsmanship, though he has a secret past.

Porthos: Another of the group of three friends, Porthos is given to drinking, gambling, braggin, and dining but is always ready to join in any caper, even if he doesn’t fully understand what’s going on.

Aramis: Another of the three musketeers, Aramis enjoys theological discussions, but is instantly ready to defend his honor or anyone else’s from insult or injury.

D’Artagnan: A young man from Gascony who has come to Paris to seek his fortune, D’Artagnan’s dearest wish is to join King Louis XIII’s musketeers, as his father before him did. He has a keen sword and even keener mind, except where matters of love are concerned.

Bonacieux: The husband of Constance, Bonacieux operates a grocery store just below D’Artagnan’s apartment. He is easily swayed by people in positions of authority.

Planchet: As D’Artagnan’s servant, Planchet’s job is to keep the larder filled, and his master out of trouble. He manages the former relatively well, but D’Artagnan never heeds his warnings about trouble.

Anne, queen of France: One of the greatest princesses in Europe, Anne is from the Hapsburg dynasty of Austria, with a brother who is king of Spain. She values honor above all else and is constantly at odds with Richelieu for the safety of France. Only her soft heart gets her in trouble.

Milady de Winter: A woman with a shadowy past, Milady is an English widow and an agent of the cardinal. She is the Mata Hari of the seventeenth century, accustomed to getting her way with any man she meets and able to win any woman’s confidence.

Constance Bonacieux: Although she is of modest birth, Constance is goddaughter of the queen’s steward. Because of this connection she has obtained a position as personal seamstress to the queen. She has also become the queen’s confidante.